Missing Max
by uftopia
Summary: Chloe ends up stumbling into Victoria in one Vortex Club Party. They end up talking, but the poster on the wall kills Chloe's heart even more than she thought her heart could be broken./FIVE-shot (despite what I said in the previous update). Chaseprice friendship.
1. Chapter 1

A Vortex Club party. Chloe's never really been to one of these, the most she's done is steal some booze then leave to tag Blackwell's walls.

They were fun times. But today, her friend Rachel decided she wanted Chloe to "open up" a bit, and come to one of these shitty parties. So, being like the person Rachel was, she eventually persuaded Chloe to come to one.

Who knows what'll happen. But tonight, she just wants to drink and forget.

 _-M-a-x-_

 _-H-e-r-d-a-d-_

 _-R-a-c-h-e-l-'s-s-u-p-p-o-s-e-d-l-o-v-e-r-_

Nothing in particular, she tells herself. It's time to let loose.

"Thanks for bringing me along, Rach!" She screams over the crowd. Rachel nods to her in reply, and suddenly their hands lost contact. Rachel was gone and swept away into the pit.

Chloe looks for a certain brunette.

Maybe one with mousy brown hair, freckles, a little shorter than average…

No. She came to forget. What would Max even look like now? Surely the same.

Backing up with a drink in hand, she bumped into someone.

"What the hell?! Fucking watch where you're going!" It's prissy Victoria Chase, queen of Blackwell, and the best friend of Nathan Prescott. King asshole.

Victoria pauses and turns back to Chloe. "Kari Price, figures."

"The hell does that mean?"

"I never see you go here without Rachel, and when I saw her downing drinks like it's the fucking purge, I suspected she brought you along." She says, a smirk playing at her lips. She throws her cup to the ground. "It's weird. She brings people along to only forget about them and then drink until she passes out. She's an asshole, is what I'm saying."

Chloe's never thought about it that way before. She does often get left behind by a Rachel, in fact, Rachel never actually said a 'you're welcome!' or a 'if you need anything, call me!' to her as she disappeared into the pit of sweaty and drunk teenagers.

"She… I hate to say this, but I think you're right." Victoria turns to Chloe, and opens her mouth in shock. Chloe just _agreed_ with Victoria.

Which, does not happen very often, if at all.

"W-whatever, Kari."

"Chloe. It's Chloe." She knows that Victoria knows, but doesn't comment and only corrects her. She's too tired to fight right now.

They stand talking for a good while, until a poster catches Chloe's attention. The words displayed on the top kill Chloe's heart more than she could possibly think. It's burning and it won't stop. It can't. She's frozen in place and her eyes tear up. Victoria follows her stare and asks:

"...Chloe?"

 **MISSING**

 **MAXINE CAULFIELD**


	2. Chapter 2

Chloe rushes to the wall in which the poster is held up by. She rips it off the wall, tears streaming down her face. Her lip quivers as she crumples up half the sheet, getting a good look at Max's face.

"This… can't be…" She throws the cup she had to the floor and runs outside and leans against a wall. Victoria calls out after her, but she ignores her.

Slumped against the wall, she cries and puts her head in her arms. She's still gripping the poster, and looks up to read it.

Max's happy looking face covers a fourth of the page.

 **MISSING**

 **MAXINE CAULFIELD**

 **AGE:18**

 **LOOKS:BROWN HAIR IN A BOB, WITH BRIGHT BLUE EYES AND FRECKLES. LAST SEEN WEARING A GREY HOODIE WITH PINK 'JANE DOE' SHIRT AND JEANS.**

 **IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL XXX-XXXX-XXXX* OR 911**

 **Please find our friend. Reward of $200.**

It's exactly the Max that left Chloe five years ago. Her looks, her style, her _name._ It's exactly the same. Where is Max? Chloe always said that she'd take her back in a heartbeat, but now, could she even take her back? There was always the chance of her being dea-

"Chloe! What the fuck? You just started looking at Max's missing poster and started crying. Don't tell me you feel bad for that twee hipster."

Chloe looks up through her blue bangs with angry and sad tears. Victoria looks away, realizing she's serious about this.

"The fuck is your fucking problem?! My best fucking friend since birth basically who left me five years ago is apparently back, but fucking missing?! I'm losing my shit over here! Max was my… best friend, she helped me through so much… and she's gone!" her tears are rattling her body and hiccups escape in waves.

Unnerved with how much this is affecting Chloe, and how much information she gave, she finally talks with a shaky voice. "Listen, I didn't know. I thought you just felt bad that someone went missing."

She grabs the poster from Chloe's hand, and she deflates even more.

"She's been missing since April. A whole five months." Despite a date not being given, Victoria's secretly been keeping track.

"Five fucking months." She whispers. "I just- I want to see her again." She cries and sobs and they're both not sure when she'll stop.

"Let's take you somewhere else, how about your house or- my dorm room?"

"Your place. It'll raise a lot of questions if I come home crying with a Chase next to me."

"Good point, Price." The dorms would be empty anyway, everybody in school is partying.

_._._._

"How do you know Max?" Victoria breaks the silence that filled the room for about ten minutes now. They've just been sitting across from each other silently, staring at the missing poster that lay on the carpeted floor of Victoria's room.

"She was… the best thing that ever happened to me. She was my best friend for pretty much my whole life. We did everything together." She pauses. "But, after my dad died. It just so happened that she had to move to Seattle because her dad got some job. Never wrote me. Never called."

Victoria just looks up to Chloe, but their eyes do not meet.

"Why is she missing…?" Chloe asks to nobody, but Victoria answers anyway.

"I heard the best ones are taken first." _Whatever that means._

"Is she…" Chloe doesn't finish that sentence. As if it'll open her eyes and realize, maybe Max isn't coming back.


	3. Chapter 3

"You know, one time, Max and I went up the the lighthouse," She gestures to the lighthouse just outside, farther away than you'd think. It sat upon the hill, guiding the boats that cross the ocean, "And we carved our names into the stump up there. It says: 'Max and Chloe BFF pirates, 2008', I still go up there. So I know it hasn't been carved away at."

Victoria listens to the stories Chloe tells about her and Max. They're all heartwarming and sappy, but enjoyable nonetheless.

It's sad Max had decided to up and go missing. Of course, she didn't _mean_ to go, Victoria adds in her head.

"Max was a silly person, she even once swallowed an eye of her teddy bear, 'Captain', I think his name was."

 _Was._

Has Chloe given up hope Max could come back? Even though, she'd surely go looking, even if she hasn't seen Max in five years. She's just missing, she could still be alive.

"You know, I never really liked Max or any of her shenanigans. But she seems like a cool and fun person. I… honestly wish I could've tried to be her friend." Victoria says. She pauses for a while, thinking after the look Chloe gives her sends chills down her spine. "I'm sorry for being so rude to her. I made fun of her every living chance I could get. Nathan and I, both."

Chloe doesn't look at her, but she asks a question. "Did she seem… suicidal, by any chance? 'Cause I know Max. She doesn't just _go._ Other than that one day. But even now, looking back at it, she didn't have a choice." A tear rolls down her cheek. "She always told me when she was leaving."

Victoria thinks.

Was she? She never paid any attention to her.

"I… don't know, sorry,"

"'Course you don't. She was always introverted and made sure to never show any emotion that could tell people she was down. Fuckin'... She was always looking on the bright side. Never wanted others to feel bad."

The thought of Max commiting suicide makes Victoria feel shriveled up and small on the inside. Because, of course, there would be no other reason than Victoria's bullying that pushed her to the edge.

"Maybe ask her… friend?" Was he a friend? Gay-rham was around her too much and was too interested to be.

"Name?" Chloe asks.

"Warren Graham. He follows her everywhere, basically. I'm not even sure if they're just 'friends'."

"I'll talk to him. Thanks."

Chloe leaves, and

_._._._

An hour passes, and Chloe reaches out to Victoria about her talk with Warren. Ape Boy, she calls him. He seems oddly interested in monkeys? Talking about a drive-in with Max that he never got to go to with her. It was dated after she went missing.

Victoria's noticed that the whole student body of Blackwell have gone and quieted down. There's rarely teasing, and the people seem badly affected by her disappearance. The lack of Max's presence is obvious and painful, and no one dares to go near her locker or the tables she sat at. Even the picnic table she sat with friends at lunch is abandoned. Victoria oftens finds Max's friends staring at the vacant seat. She can tell their eyes are pleading to know what happened to their dear friend.

The phone rings two times before she answers.

"Chloe, did you find anything? Suicidal, or sad thoughts?"

"No, actually. Warren said she'd always be so happy and go-lucky. She's said to have an up-beat aura to her that made everyone who entered it happy, as well."

Ah, the happy and wonderful, along with beautifully cheerful Max. Victoria wonders if all the happiness Blackwell had was given to them by her.

"That's my Max…" She heard Chloe whisper behind the phone. "And I got the guy to confirm, no, they're not together. Just friends, he admitted he can be clingy."

"I'm sorry there's nothing on Max. I mean… It's good she wasn't suicidal, but, it does raise even more questions…" Victoria says.

"I know, Vic."


	4. Chapter 4

" _Breaking news!"_

It's been about a week since Chloe had been trying to find out more about Max. Nonstop questions flooded everybody's mind when she came around, looking for answers. Nobody actually knew anything new, though.

" _Blackwell student and teacher supposedly committed multiple murders and kidnappings."_

That got Chloe's attention. Max disappears, but then suddenly murders appear on TV? Can't be good news.

"Victoria! C-come here, I think—" Chloe yelled, stopping midway. The victims names that were kidnapped and murdered appeared on screen, in red lettering next to pictures of the girl.

Victoria rushed in to watch. She had been spending a lot of time with Chloe, so she was currently at her house.

" _Abbie Hernandez—" with her brown hair and brown eyes, she became known to her friends as a 'party queen', and always liked to socialize."_

" _Tracy Santello—" a caring girl who had hazel eyes, and had the smarts for chemistry, her blond hair and freckles are recognizable through crowds."_

" _Sammy Gibbler— a petite green-eyed girl with brown braids. She enjoyed swimming on Blackwell's team, the Otters."_

" _Valerie Borowski— a girl who was known for art, and had red hair with brown eyes."_

" _Maxine Caulfield— a girl with brown hair to her shoulders, blue eyes, and freckles, with a passion for photography, as described."_

Maxine Caulfield. Blue eyes. Photography.

Max Caulfield. Freckles. A brown bob.

Max. Chloe's Max. The Max that went missing five months ago.

The Max that turned out to be buried near the lighthouse, where Chloe always stood to have a cigarette.

Chloe felt like puking. Her gut swam in circles and lurched up and down. Like she had just drank seawater and now her body had finally gotten sick of it.

"Oh… Chloe…" Victoria was at a loss for words. What was she supposed to say? Sorry your friend turned out to be dead? Sorry that she was killed by someone in her school? A _teacher_ and _classmate,_ nonetheless.

She quickly ran to her, wrapping her arms around her in a large hug. Chloe doesn't object, and instead sobs loudly, her whales echoing throughout the Price-Madsen household.

" _The people said to be responsible are Nathan Prescott and Mark Jefferson, now former student and former teacher. They are supposed to be put in jail for a life sentence, if found guilty."_

Both their faces were shocked.

_._._._

At Blackwell as Nathan is being walked to the police car with his hands cuffed behind his back, Chloe scrambles out of Victoria's arms to reach him, kick him, punch, scrape, _anything_ to get back at him. Victoria and Rachel watch in horror as Chloe's anger reaches its peak.

"YOU BASTARD! FUCKING CUNT, I'LL TEAR YOUR _GODDAMN HEAD_ OFF IF I HAVE TO!" As she's about six meters away from him, police step in to stop her. She cries: "SHE WAS THE ONLY FUCKING THING I CARED ABOUT!" She only stops trying to attack when Victoria reaches and pulls her back.

"Chloe. Please. Let's go back inside, to my dorm… you'll be okay."

She knows it's a white lie, but agrees anyway.

"Your best fucking friend, huh?" Chloe whispers quiet enough so Victoria can't hear her. She finishes the rest in her head, 'your best friend killed mine.' She knows Victoria didn't do anything, but can't help but feel that way.

_,_,_,_

" _Mr. Prescott and Mr. Jefferson, former members of Blackwell Academy have kidnapped several girls, and then took their lives. They were drugged with GHB, a common 'date rape' drug that induces a sleep, and the girls were all given an overdose."_

The TV is louder than ever to Chloe, despite being on the same volume it was before. She wants it to stop. She wants it to be a long nightmare. She pleads in her head.

Max's happy face on the missing person poster haunts her. She don't know if she'll ever be able to get past knowing that she'll never see it live, in front of her again.

The funeral is waiting.

_._._._

 _ **I know, the names aren't in game. But,,,,, I wanted to make up my own characters for this, to show that many more lives that could've been taken by Jefferson, that we just can't see. And I forgot to clarify, that the line of " X's " for a phone number is just because I didn't want to make one up that turned out to be real, and I obvi didn't want a real one. Just go with the flow.**_

 _ **-ufo**_


	5. Chapter 5

The funeral lasts what seems like days to Chloe. Victoria stands by her side, and to the right and across from her, classmates and friends of Max gather around the casket.

Warren, Kate, Alyssa, Dana, Rachel, and Juliet are present. Along with Max's parents, of course. How sad it must be to have to lower your daughter into a hole at age eighteen. She didn't even get to live her life.

"Thank you for coming, Chloe. I-uh…" Mr. Caulfield says, but he stops and stutters mid sentence. "When they were… looking through her pockets, they found a note addressed to you. I think that if she couldn't really confront you in person, she'd try and mail it," His eyes water. "Clearly, she didn't get the chance."

His hands cover his face and he mutters an 'I'm sorry' when he leaves to either comfort his wife, or have her comfort him. She's unsure.

But just before that, he gave the note to Chloe. Her shaking hands hold it with care, because it's the last thing of Max she has other than bittersweet memories. She'll read it afterward, she thinks.

The funeral ends an hour later. And Chloe and Victoria are squashed onto Chloe's bed, with the note on her chest.

"Did you read the note?" Victoria asks.

"No. I wanted to read it together." Victoria hides that she's flattered. It's a sad day, she shouldn't be trying to stop smiling like an idiot.

Chloe read it aloud.

" _Hi Chloe, it's Max._ _You already know that._

 _I bet you're wondering why I'm not confronting you like a normal person. I'm not sure how to talk to you,so I'm sending this!_ _I'm too scared to see you. gosh, I hate myself._

 _I'm in Arcadia Bay, now. Attending Blackwell! Can you believe it?_ _I mean, not that you want to see me again after that radio silence._ _I hope that soon after I send this letter that I can see you. I just hope you can_ _somehow_ _forgive me for the no letters, no calls and no visits. I doubt it though. I'm horrible. I'm just glad to be back. Maybe we can attend one of those Vortex Club parties together? I heard they're pretty fun. Seems like you'd be into it._

 _So,_ _my_ _Chloe, let's see if this letter reaches you._

— _Your first mate, Max Silver, a pirate who hopes to reunite with Captain Bluebeard."_

A drawing of two girls wearing pirate hats is below the paragraph, and Chloe's hands shake, smudging the art.

"I got it, Max. Just not the way I wanted to,"

Chloe wishes she had contacted Max herself, instead of waiting for Max to.

"I'm sorry."


End file.
